Editorial
Despite the wealth of evidence about the benefits of remote and hybrid working generated during the pandemic, an increasing number of employers are issuing return-to-the-office mandates. Many of these demands are driven by a belief that collaboration thrives when we're face-to-face with our colleagues.
A study by Ashley E. Hardin of Washington University et al explored whether the kind of relationships that underpin effective collaboration are undermined by remote working.
Remote Work Provides a Glimpse Into Our Personal Lives
The study used a mix of archived data, fieldwork and experiments to explore how seeing coworkers’ non-work lives on video calls affects workplace relationships. The researchers found glimpses of home life can make people seem more authentic, human and trustworthy, which in turn builds stronger personal and professional connections.
The findings offer a more nuanced view of remote work’s impact on employee relationships and include practical advice for managers weighing the pros and cons of returning to the office. After all, most perspectives on remote work suggest it creates distance between us rather than provides us with fresh insights into one another's lives.
The study suggests remote there are three main ways in which remote work helps to provide us with a glimpse into the lives of our colleagues. The first is the non-work information we learn about each other; the second is that this information sharing is often unintentional; and the third is that because video is quite a rich platform, it provides a vivid look into people's lives.
Related Article: How Technology Can Help Us Be More Authentic at Work
Authentic Connections Improve Collaboration
The researchers hypothesized that providing such informal glimpses into the lives of our colleagues would help us to create the kind of trustworthy and authentic connections that underpin good teamwork and collaboration, not to mention the kind of workplace friendships that so many of us say we crave.
For instance, in one experiment they asked employees what they had learned about their colleagues during video calls when they worked from home (and how this made them feel). The researchers also harvested social media to collect thousands of comments on remote working from platforms like LinkedIn and Reddit.
The process showed the wide range of new work- and non-work-related information we pick up about our colleagues when we engage with them via the screen, including how they spend their free time, their religious or political views, and even how they parent.
The researchers also conducted an experiment whereby employees were asked to collaborate on a task with a new colleague through a video meeting. The call was simulated in such a way that they learned some new work and non-work information about their colleague.
People were much more likely to invest in both personal and professional relationships with their colleagues when they received what they thought was unintentionally shared non-work-related information. They viewed that person as more trustworthy and authentic after the "real" glimpse into their lives.
Related Article: Making the Remote Office Work: Cultivate Relationships to Drive Productivity
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A Change in Mindset
With so many managers hell-bent on forcing employees back into the office, the researchers suggest they might benefit by checking some of their biases about work and their employees. It's very possible that they've absorbed a narrative about remote work harming relationships without ever putting it to the test or actually asking their employees. It’s something the Arbinger Institute refers to as leadership self-deception, and it can undermine our ability to find win-win solutions for employers and employees alike.
Managers who adopt a more open mindset can start to see the relational possibilities remote work can provide, the researchers argue. The process can provide a glimpse into the lives of colleagues and thus support relationships rather than harm them. They suggest the first step is to lead by example and not only work virtually yourself but also ensure that doing so provides a glimpse into your non-work life. For instance, it’s common for us to blur the background on our calls, but this can limit the insight others can get into our homes, so should be used sparingly.
It might also be worthwhile dedicating some time and space on video calls for more personal conversations. Indeed, I previously wrote about research from Wharton that outlines how a series of easy-to-use questions can help forge strong connections, even over the internet. The research shows that distance need not be an impediment to good relationships.
With “relationship building” one of the reasons managers give for pulling employees back to the office, this research should provide a reason to pause and question whether these assumptions are valid or if you’re mandating things that employees generally find unpopular based upon outmoded beliefs.
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